Return of the Dark Slayer
by Sphyni
Summary: We've all heard of the Slayer, she is the one that protects humans from all the baddies of the hellmouth, stops the apocolypses blah blah blah. But what if a dark slayer emerged? hellbent on destroying the human race, yet immortal and 'kept at bay'.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Return of the Dark Slayer Disclaimer: Joss Whedon rules all, Joss Whedon is god. The only things I own are Rei, and the creativity used to create this story, 'nuff said.  
Rated: probably will end up with an R rating.  
Pairing: Spike/Rei, Angelus/Rei, Buffy/Spike. Not sure if I'm going to go through with these pairings though. 

Chapter one

"Kick me out of my fucking bed, like I have a place to go!" A violent voice screamed through the silence of the cemetery. The clear night permitted the full moon to shine down upon the raven-haired girl with light pale skin. Her eyes flared of torment as the dark green tore through the light mist. Her steps heavy with extra weight of a large duffle bag packed with her clothes and possessions. With the height of 5'4", she swiftly moved along the emerald sparkling grass with her black trench coat clipping at her heels.

Quickly she reached her destination and before knocking on the door of a old gray stone crypt belonging to one of her very few lifelines that she trusted left, she wiped away tears that stained her eyes and cheeks from the walk over. With a deep breath she knocked her fist against the thick cold wooden door, and heard from within a voice. "It's open." She exhaled her breath and let herself in, her hair covered a majority of her face until she shut the door and placed her bag on the floor. She pulled the hair out of her face and stepped slowly and slightly ashamed towards the tempered attractive blonde male vampire that sat on the couch before her.

Spike grew curious quickly as to why this raven haired girl only known to him as Rei could suddenly appear on his doorstep with a bag of all of her possessions and with such a distraught expression. "Rei, what's going on, luv?" was all he was able to muster up at the time. He moved over on the couch and motioned for the girl that looked about 19, to come and sit with him. At first she just raised her eyes to meet his before closing her eyes and turned her head away. She wasn't usually one to depend and feel comfort from others, but now wasn't the time to let her pride and usual attitude get in the way; he was all she could trust now. She looked back to Spike and silently walked over and sat next to him, finding herself leaning on him as he put an arm around her.

"Xander kicked me out..." Her voice was quiet now, unlike her cursive screaming outside, it sounded submissive. She continued, "he said that he can't have me around anymore especially if he's going to get himself an apartment away from his parents. I can't believe them...first Buff, then Willow and Tara, Giles even...Spike...I came here because Buffy is my only tie to anyone in my blood...I don't know how they could just, toss me out like that. Its not like I can do this by myself...." She trailed off into thought, 'The council will only want to drag me back, probably for termination...' She shook her head and leaned forward resting her head in her hands.

Spike listened, he always did, Rei was an interesting girl that way, and she never spoke of her past, only of how she was going to go on. He had heard some interesting things come from her mouth, which made him wonder; wonder if she was older then she looked. Each time he didn't ask, trying do dismiss it as a curious mind, but lately he couldn't. "Where you going to go now?" He tried to keep conversation going, hoping that his questions could be answered soon.

She looked back up to him, "I...I was hoping I could stay here...just until I find my own place...so I don't get in your way all the time." So many thoughts ran through her mind at that moment, most of which she tossed into the back of her mind and locked away to try and forget.

"Don't mind, as long as the Slayer doesn't show up all the bloodytime." He smirked jokingly. Quickly he glanced over to her bag, it seemed to only hold her clothes and the necessities. "No bedding...s'aite, we can get that later, it'll be day-break in a few hours." He watched as her eyes lit up and literally leapt on him in embrace, if one was to pay close attention they would notice it was a sudden turn on for him, but he pressed it out of his mind for the time being.

"Spike, I don't know how to thank you," she paused and gave a thoughtful grin, "actually...yes, I do know how to thank you. Although I do believe Buffy would be baffled for weeks, and be at my throat in anger, hehe yea I think that would be quite entertaining." She looked into Spike suddenly lust filled eyes, 'I do believe I know what's on HIS mind.' She snickered and crawled off of him scampering away over to her bag, and returning with it in hand. "William, a warning for your benefit, it wouldn't be a good idea to lust after me." She could just imagine the broken expression he held as she dug through her bag, pulling out two black boxes.

Spike sat up, calming himself down and grew confused about her comment, "I shall lust upon who I wish to lust after luv." He replied as his curious eyes watched her open each of the boxes, one seemed to be filled with a needle and numerous vials of some violet liquid, he knew she had carried this box with her on several occasions, the other box, held an ancient artifact with a scroll. "What's this now?" He asked as she removed the scroll and sat it beside her, and then removed the artifact, which seemed to be some sort of ancient Incan sacrificial box.

"In simplest terms, its a gift box...I received this too many years ago to remember. I do remember however that I got it from the goddess Shiori, goddess of order. This has the ability to take back, any injury, infection, parasite, or foreign object placed in the body, for example, the chip." She quickly explained as she set it up and laid out the scroll on the floor.

His eyes flew wide open, "You mean I can be rid of this bloody chip, for good?" She nodded, Spike grinned maliciously. "That's bloody well brillient." He exclaimed to himself, "If you can honestly get this bloody chip out of my head, you can live here forever if you want." Seating himself on the floor across from her and in front of the box.

"That sounds great, and we're ready to go here...but I have to do something first" Her voice faded quickly as she sat herself up onto the couch and grabbed the other box. He watched her as she sat down and started pulling an elastic out of the box and wrapped it around her upper arm and prepared a syringe. Quickly she injected the violet fluid into her veins and she tossed the needle back into the box as she bit down hard onto the thick silver chain around her neck and shut her eyes tightly, fists clenched. He didn't notice it right away but her eyes had changed from their emerald green shade to a light orange, the roots of her hair had slowly taken a change as well, giving it white streaks, but they quickly subsided as the substance made its way through her , Spike took the box and put the vile and syringe back into their places, throwing away the needle tip and put the box back into her duffle bag. When she seemed to come to he questioned her, "What's all this about? Some sort of new street drug, or perhaps something that you snagged from Commando boy..." His temper began to rise.

Rei let go of the breath she was holding and dropped the silver chain from her teeth, it was warped and mangled. She opened her eyes and they slowly faded back from their orange to green again, her hair re-darkened to black as well. "Of course not! Fuck...its a mix of different herbs...monkshood, rose, lavender, and nightshade...a few others." She took off the elastic tied around her arm, tossing it back into her bag. Then set herself back onto the floor, "It keeps it dormant and weak..." She saw his leering face and quickly picked up the scroll, "I'll tell you the rest after I get that chip removed from your brain."

Spike gave her an odd scowling look, 'Monkshood, that's a poison, nightshade, that stuffs deadly..what's she up to.' "Alright Rei, your the one with the scroll, do your thing." Rei nodded, seeming back to herself she began reading off the scroll, a smile grew as she finish the incantation and held Spike's hands over the box and told him to close his eyes, which he did.

Within a second it was over, the bright flash, the chip was removed from Spike's brain and hovered in a light over top of the box. Spike watched the chip with a grateful look on his face, but didn't notice how Rei continued to chant yet again, but a different incantation then what was on the scroll. Soon there was another flash and then the light vanished, the box and scroll vanished as well, returning themselves back to the hands of the goddess that gave it out. Rei was curled over on her side in extreme pain and clutching her head. "What did you do!" Spike demanded, picking her up and putting her onto the couch, "Where's the chip, where's the artifact?"

Once the sudden pain had subsided after a minute she took a breath and opened her eyes looking at the face of a concerned vampire, "I used the three gifts the box contained.....so it vanished."

"The chip Rei, what happened to the chip?"

She tapped the side of her head with a light smile, "In there...the last spell was to take the chip into my own brain. Its the only way I can prevent another massacre from happening without taking the injections every day."

"What massacre, Rei your making no sense!" Spike spoke flustered.

"Spike...do you remember when you, Drusilla, and Angelus were in China and Angelus came back after a huge slaughter, coated in blood, and with that small dead girl in his arms?"

Spike was shocked, how could Rei know of any of his ventures, especially so soon after he was sired. "Yes....how do you know about this...watcher's journals?"

"No Spike...Angelus never started that bloodbath, he arrived in the center of the city after it was over....I killed all those people...Spike, I killed that little girl." Although she had never spoke of this to anyone, or even tried to, her expression remained calm.

His eyeballs nearly jumped from their sockets, "YOU did that? But that would mean you're at least 130 years old!"

"149 actually...even if I look merely 19...because I was 17 when I caused my first massacre. When I first found out I was a form of slayer at the time. A watcher had hunted me down on one of the occasions that I had become ravenously bloodthirsty, knocked me out, and tied me up. He told me everything, of how that my real mother had twins, and that how I was one of them, my sister was a slayer, which meant I myself had some extreme strengths as well, but mine were distorted and twisted. They called me The dark Slayer, because I wouldn't protect my own kind from demons, I would rampantly destroy mortals. The council held me for 2 years, and for those years they restrained me and tested different mixtures on me. One day they gave me a mixture that had doubled my speed and power, enabling me to escape, in doing so I tore apart everyone in the building. I was out in the streets again, at the time people were scared and stayed inside because of the vampires, but as you know, they couldn't enter a mortals home. But I could...I would leave cities burning with bodies horribly mangled and dangling from clock towers and stables. Before soon after I escaped, I met a witch, whom I didn't kill. She reminded me a lot of my mother that took care of me most of my life, she taught me a few spells and I earned her trust, But as my nature goes, I betrayed her, I killed her in the middle of a ceremony. Shiori, goddess of order, was infuriated with me, she gave me that Incan box, and said that I had three gifts from it, one for myself, the second had to be for someone else, and the third I could have for myself. Naturally I took the gift of an immortal life, but I couldn't just let anyone have the second gift...I never found anyone to give the second gift to. So I set out, with my immortality I would never age, and I would be able to satisfy my bloodthirsty nature, the next place I attacked was that place in china. The child I handed to Angelus wasn't killed by my hand, she had been beaten by her father. I had attacked her father first, which triggered my lust, before I could grasp myself again most of the city was in ruins like the rest, but the child that I had attempted to protect, was already dead. I gave her to Angelus because he was the only one I could see standing and willing to approach me, and that I couldn't bear to stare at that child's face any longer, to see how I had failed her. Once Angelus left I was caught again by the council, they seemed to had come up with the perfect mixture to bring back my lust less sanity. Once I was stable they sent me back out into the world, with my drug in hand, I set out to find my mother, and sister. Only to find that in my fury I had killed them too. So I followed the slayers through generations, from place to place, only returning to the council to gain more of the mixture, it was about 5 years before they showed me what was in it and how to make it myself, before they began to trust me again..." Rei sighed and trailed off, looking at the surprised face of the blonde.

Spike took a minute to let it all sink in before asking about the chip, "So why did you take the chip...what will it help with all this?"

"The chip wouldn't let you kill or harm mortals, right? So if it was placed in my brain, then I wouldn't be able to kill mortals anymore either, some of these plants for my injections take a while to grow and find."

"I guess that would solve your problem then love. I'd never have thought you to be from my time" He smirked. "So basically you're like a vampire except for the lack of fangs, sun sensitivity, and death."

Rei smiled faintly, "I guess so." She noticed a stream of light peering in through broken glass, "It's morning...unless you DO want to die, or become grouchy...you should sleep." She giggled lightly.

He stood up and held his hand out to her, "Sleep with me pet?" She gave him an odd look, he shook his head and corrected himself, "I've got no extra blankets except on the bed in the bottom level...it'll be warmer then the couch...no funny business, I promise." Rei snickered to herself and took his hand, and her bag, and followed him to the lower level to his bedroom.

Spike pulled off his black shirt and tossed it on the end of the bed and sat on the bed still in his jeans. Rei rummaged through her bag and pulled out a pair of silver shorts and random black tank top and quickly changed with her back to Spike, whom watched with amusement. "What, shy dressing in front of someone luv?" he joked.

Rei turned to him as she pulled on her shirt, and stuck out her tongue to him, "No, just don't want you lusting after what you said you wont touch." She smiled and then tackled him on the bed. Spike was surprised at her behavior, but was even more surprised when she didn't move from her spot on top of him, and leaned down kissing him lightly. She rolled off and onto her own side and snuggled up to him. "Thanks for listening to me.."

Rei was the first out of the two to wake up, she saw Spike was still in a peaceful dead slumber. Slowly she climbed off of the bed and brought her bag upstairs with her, flicking on the TV and getting changed into a regular pair of black pants and a black and red snoopy tank. Glancing through her bag she saw the box of liquid that had been keeping herself dormant, she smiled. "I don't think I have much more need for this." she said in a glee filled manner and proceeded to pour the contents out one of the windows covered in heavy drapes. She looked at the time that the TV said it was and smiled to herself as she turned it off and grabbed her long jacket and headed towards the door of the crypt. "It's still light, by the time the sunset is over Spike should be awake," as she finishes her sentence she closes the crypt door behind her. Turning around she swiftly makes it to one of the angelic statues that stand in the graveyard, she found herself a seat on the alter that laid in front of the angel. Crossing her legs in front of her she found herself lost in the swirls of red and violet created from the sun and surrounding clouds. Soon the sun had set and she lingered a few minutes more observing the violet clouds darken to midnight blue as the minutes past. She began to move when she felt two strong cool hands restrain her in place from behind, after a failed attempt to pull out of the grasp she tried to see who it was. The figure that was clearly male behind her brought himself up beside her ear and smirked, "You can never be innocent, the bloodlust is two great to be tossed away in time...you'll come to understand that Rei." His voice sounded very familiar but she couldn't remember in her decade and a half of life. As she struggled to remember her thoughts dissipated when she felt his bite deep into her major artery, but it wasn't the bite that she felt pain from, no, the bite was a soothing reminder to what she once was. The real pain came once the strange vampires fangs were removed from her throat, it was the strong electric shock that he inflicted with a tazer. enough power jolted through her body to overload the chip in her brain that was once Spikes. She curled over in pain holding her head as the chip shorted out sending smaller shocks through her brain. When the pain finally subsided she found herself being lifted up from the ground. The hands belonged to Spike who seemed to hear her painful cries.

With a concerned look on his face he looked back and forth in her eyes and questioned her, "What happened, pet?"

Rei blinked a few times to clear her blurred vision and then quickly turned her head looking around for the other vampire who had attacked her, "Where'd he go!" she demanded, while spike simply gave her an odd look meaning 'who'. "The other vampire...h-he said I'd never be innocent and that my bloodlust was to great to just let go...knew my name Spike! Then...then he bit me, and it was like he tried to finish me off with a tazer, but it wasn't enough to kill...just send the chip all haywire..." As she spoke all this out she struggled to understand it all. He looked to the side of her neck where she was bitten, blood seeped still quite quickly from the punctures. "Do you know who it was?" She shook her head, "No. but he sounded familiar...like I knew him before...and he had this aura around him...it felt so powerful, evil, but powerful..." Spike seemed to have a vague idea of who it was, but wanted to check into it before he began making assumptions.

It was that moment that Rei's expression dropped to horror, "The chip...SPIKE! He short circuited the chip!" She went silent and pulled herself to her feet, wishing that just half an hour ago she didn't pour out all of her injection fluid. She figured it would be less then a day for her dark lust took control of her and went on a murderous rampage.

With this new information about the chip no longer functional, Spike's guesses were confirmed, "Angelus is back in town Bit...and I take it he's got some plans for you."

Spike took it upon himself to go to buffy and the scoobies and inform them of the glorious return of the beloved Angelus, yet neglected to tell them that he had plans to do with Rei. Meanwhile Rei stayed back at the crypt, she had refused to go with Spike to the Magic Box. She was trying to come up with a way to control her darker side once again, she had no access to the various plants that were needed for her injections. So far the only option she had to prevent her uncontrollable bloodlust, was to shed her own blood, to end her own life, or to try. Nearly an hour went by and the girl could slowly feel her control leaving her and no other solutions had appeared in her mind. Spike still wasn't back yet either, nor did she expect him back for a while, suspecting he went out to feed now chip-free, or went to find his sire Angelus.

Rei dug through her bag until she found her only weapon she had with her, a dagger decorated in Egyptian runes and designs. It was quite beautiful, except for the blade, sharp enough to split hairs, yet had a red stain upon it. After all these hundred or so years she still kept the blade she had caused massacres with, never washed it from the blood of the innocence. She smiled ever so faintly as she sat herself down onto the couch in front of the TV, one of Spikes shows was on Passions or something. She never paid much attention to what was on the TV, only really ever had it on as a voice in the background, to lessen the deepness of the silence within the crypt. The crypt that she planned on taking her immortal life in. As she lowered the blade onto her skin with fair pressure she bit down into her lip, feeling the skin of her wrist instantly split making way for the blade as it sunk down deeper. The blood wept from the wound as the metal was lifted up, only to be brought down again and making a long slice from wrist to mid-forearm, along the major veins in her arm. She stopped and dropped the dagger onto the cushion next to her as she gazed upon the steadily flowing blood oozing itself from the depths of her left forearm and onto her lap. Her attention was so well kept she didn't notice the door of the crypt opening and a figure entering.

She was brought out of her daze as she felt and saw two icy hands grasp her wounded arm and bringing it up to the intruder's mouth. Her eyes were torn off of the wound and up to the intruders face, her mouth gaped open slightly as she instantly recognized that it was the same vampire that she handed the dead girl to years ago, and the same one that attacked her earlier. She watched him lap at her wound, licking up all the blood trailing over her arm. Her vision was beginning to become hazy as a result of the major blood loss. The last thing she saw before fading into the darkness was the icy hands tending to the deep wound to mend the gash.

Angelus glanced up momentarily as Rei's eyes rolled up into their sockets and she shut her eyes falling unconscious, he simply smiled and muttered to himself as he sewed up the wound, cleaned up the blood and wrapped her arm in gauze. "We can't have you ending the game before the fun gets underway now can we..."

Flashback

"And another thing, why do you wear those goddamned gloves, its the middle of summer!" Her father screamed at her, nearly finished his lecture about killing off his livestock by tearing it into shreds and leaving them to bleed themselves dry and waste away in the sun.

"Well what the bloody hell do you expect me to do! I'm obviously a sin within your eyes father, how else can I hide myself from the world, lock myself away in a box? No! I'll go mental. Sure I'm one fucked up kid, dad. But at least give me the goddamned decency to hide my imperfections the best I can from society." She blurted out of her simple 14-year-old mouth.

A sudden crack was heard as he punched her in the side of the jaw, dislocating it. "You will NEVER talk to me like that again child! I am your father, and I will induce discipline upon you before you get completely out of control. Now clean this fucking mess up before your mother gets back from town." With that he turned and left inside the small one level farmhouse.

The girl tore off into the barn hiding herself up the ladder behind the bails of hay, she quickly dug out a black velvet bag from the hay and wiped away her burning tears as she opened the bag pulling out an Egyptian dagger. She remembered getting it from another child on the street, she had traded one of her best dresses for the item, faintly she could remember that the child she had traded it with was a girl as well, and resembled herself quite closely. Pulling her gloves from her hands she traced her fingers over numerous purple and white scars all in different stages of healing. Scars that symbolized her confusion, her hatred of herself, and above all hatred towards her father. Holding back another sob deep in the pits of her chest she took the dagger and firmly pressed the blade upon the tanned skin, making the deep gash overlap 3 of the other scars. Normally she didn't cut across her wrist where the veins were, only at the sides where the veins were absent, yet this time she felt the feelings buried within her were too strong to be let out by a simply mended gash, she needed the pain, needed to see that same pain leave her. Dropping the dagger she began to get woozy as she reached for her cloth that she wrapped up her wounds in, but found that she hadn't enough energy to even wrap the fabric around her wrist and simply watched it fall onto the hay.

Luckily for her another pair of curious eyes were watching her, those of a female wearing rich glamorous clothing. She seemed to wonder why such a pretty little girl would be hurting so much to go to the lengths of bleeding herself. Pulling herself out of thought when she noticed that the girl had lost so much of her precious life fluids, that she couldn't even managed to cover and compress the gash she had inflicted. Ignoring her deeper instincts to lap away at the sweet odor of the fluids, she moved herself into sight in front of the girl and quickly began mending the wound for her, pulling out a needle and thread she normally used to mend small imperfections within her clothing whenever it got ripped or torn, she threaded and stitched up the deep flowing gash and wrapped it securely with the fabric. Only then allowing herself to clean away the drained blood from the girls arm with her tongue, once the girl was cleaned up nice and proper, the blonde haired woman placed a kiss upon the young girls forehead and smiled. "Sleep well child, for when the time comes, my own childe will come to take care of your tender mind and body, and train your soul."

End flashback

When Spike finally came home it was close to morning, the first thing he noticed was the heavy sent of blood which sent him into initial worry. The couch was covered in it, all of it was the girl's, "Oh bloody hell....I leave her for one night and look what happens!" He ran though the crypt searching for the girl, anxiety growing quickly, but was able to calm himself when he found her all unconscious and wrapped up on the bed n the lower level. She was pale and had shallow breathing, her eyes fluttered here and there in a dreaming state. He neared her and sat upon the edge of the bed, slowly and carefully taking her injured arm and unwrapping the bandage from it to see to extent of the damage. Seeing that it was very deep indeed he ran his finger feather lightly along the line of stitching in the skin holding the wound together. He knew that if Rei was in such an unconscious state that she was in now, she wouldn't have been able to stitch up the wound and bandage it up AND get herself down onto the bed from the couch upstairs. Someone must have assisted her, doing it for her, but who, and why.

Ok first chapter is up and edited. Read and review people, any suggestions are loved and welcomed, as well as flames, they add into the chaos of my mind.


	2. Chapter 2

  
Flashback 

"Your finally beginning to relize it, arn't you?" She pondered outloud, as she looked back at her pupil's reflection in the mirror as she tied her long gray wavy hair up into a braid. Her old blue eyes stared un-nervingly as a small smile grew upon her tattered chipped and weathered lips.

"Relize what old woman?!" The girl snapped back, ever since she watched the weekly ritual her teacher preformed to the different gods, she had been edgy. Even more so then she usually was, it was the first ritual she had watched, the other times she had endulged in her massive lust for violence and bloodspill.

"That no matter how hard you try, you can never be as innocent as you wish to become. Even with those drugs the Council creates for you, they can only calm the temper of the hellish being that lies within your soul."

"Hasn't it occured to you yet that maybe I never HAD a soul to begin with?"

"If you didn't have a soul, would you have kept me alive?" She paused then turned around narrowing her eyes lightly, "I can never replace your mother, you know that Cecilia Ann Doloreius"

Rage overcame the girl as she gritted her teeth and balled her hands into fists tight and leaking blood from split skin, "Never speak of my mother again Elizabeth! I forbid you to EVER speak of them both!" She roared across the room to her.

"Oh but my darling Cecilia, one cannot grow without facing the past. It's not like you know your mother and sister much at all either"

With the mention of her family she snapped, in a cry of rage and torment she lept forward drawing her egyptian dagger that had been not only tainted with her own blood but the blood of the innocents. She burried the blade deep within the lung and heart of the old woman and pressed the blade down, tearing apart organs, skin, and even slicing through the ribs. Pulling the dagger from her trembling body she whispered into the womans ear, "I told you its forbidden, now dear Elizabeth, you will return to your gods you so enjoy talking to." without diverting her eyes she dropped the dying bleeding woman to the ground, and left.

Her last dying words she sputtered out with a mix of her last breaths and her own blood, "May my goddess Shiori bring your life into order once again my child."

End Flashback

At the strike of noon the doors of the crypt flew open, a force of anger and fury flew through the doors as the figure entered. "Where is she Spike! I know she's in here, now bring her out!" At the beginning of the yelling Spike swiftly moved off the bed from the girl's side and up to the main level to meet the enraged Summers woman.

"Shut your sodding mouth will ya? She's downstairs sleeping. What gives you the right anyways to bloody well burst in here in the middle of the bleedin day?" He growled back at her in a snappish tone.

"She was supposed to watch Dawn, Glory may be gone Spike, but I still have to keep Dawn safe AND go patrolling." She stomped off past the peroxide blonde vampire and went downstairs to wake Rei and give her all the lectures she's been bottleing up for the past 10 hours. She stopped frozen in spot when she saw the thickly bandaged red stained arm laying ontop of the blankets that the girl laid benieth. "My god! Spike what happened?!" She asked in a hurry of worried hushed gasps as she knelt before the injured girl.

"Slit her arm from wrist to elbow's what shes done. Found her all bandaged up and passed out by the time i got back before dawn. I've a feeling our dear Nancyboy found her and bandaged her all up, luv. Still oblivious as to why though." He stood at the foot of the bed shifting his weight uncomfortably from one foot to the other every so often.

"What would Angel want with her though?"

"Might want to ask the lil bit when she wakes up pet." He gave the sleeping girl a once over to make sure she was sleeping peacefully before turning around and making his way upstairs to fetch himself blood from the fridge, while Buffy slowly followed.

"So why'd she come here anyways?" She asked meekly, taking a seat upon the beat up couch in the self-proclaimed living room.

"Thought you would've known, he didnt want her there anymore, decided he needed a place that he could call his own for himself and Anya. It's not like you or the bleedin watcher are any different anyways" He sipped away at the blood he had poured into a dark blue mug for himself.

"Thats not fair Spike, I-I just cant have everyone in the house anymore..." Her voice drowned into muttering of excuses.

"Oh sure, you'd rather be off dusting vamps or shagging my nancyboy sire, is that it?" Buffy's face plunged into defence and opened her mouth to protest, "And dont you turn around to use that 'But he has a soul now' excuse with me. He's lost it buffy, or didnt you hear about it from your old man watcher? Too bloody well busy sucking face to see it!"

Buffy stood and glared stepping closer to spike, shooting off every train of thought running through her mind. "He hasnt lost it Spike, of all people, I would be able to tell, and we talked. He's still the soul-attached vampire that i sent into Hell to save the world Spike. Maybe you're loosing your ability to tell them apart."

"Then why'd he attack her Buffy? Sundown last night, she had left the crypt to watch the sunset, the moment the sun had vanished he was at her throat, fangs and all. Didnt kill her though, probably decided that shes going to be his new little toy!"

Buffy stood speachless, could Angel really have done a thing, or had he turned back to Angelus and just acted like his souled half to get on Buffy's good side and to pump information out of her about Dawn and Glory. Then it hit her Dawn, he knew about Dawn being the Key, what if he had some similar plan like Glory's, to open the portals and unleash hell upon earth, to let the dimentions bleed themselves together in a rage of destruction, just to get back at her for sending him to hell.

Buffy was so caugh up in her own shock she almost didnt notice as Rei walked across the room and over to the fridge, nearly dragging her feet to retrieve a pizza pocket from its chilly insides. She perked up and watched the girl before pulling herself together to question Rei left right in center. "Rei? Rei, are you alright?" Her gaze followed the girl as she made her way to be seated on the bloodstained couch, the same spot she had sat in the night previous.

Spike silently watched from his perch beside the fridge on a slab of stone counter. Rei took a small bite of her snack and flicked on the tv. Her response came as a dark mutter, barely audioable, but clear enough to understand. "Am I alright, of course I'm not fucking alright. I should've died last night, would've caused a lot less people grief in the long run."

"What are you talking about? Everyone would miss you, I'm sure even your family would miss you, wherever they are." Buffy replied as she took a seat on the other side of the couch.

"Oh sure, they'll rise from their rotten dried up shallow graves and grieve upon my trecherious grave. I'm sure as hell that none of you would miss me, maybe the little munchkin, but s'only cuz I take care of her." She took another bite and itched at her bandaged arm, "I think some new less soaked and soiled bandages would be in order though. Not that it would matter if it got itself infected or not, it'd be an interesting way to go out, 'And on lighter news today, the worlds darkest protecter died from an infection in a wound she made herself, and now heres Michel with the news.' Wouldn't that be funny Spike?" She turned her head over to the perched vampire, her tone of voice was sarcastic but quite amused as well.

"Bloody well ironic I'd say bit."

"Why are you so concentraited on dying?"

"Why not?"

"Because theres people that care about you and need you in their lives maybe?"

"Sure, I'll prance about in a pansy field all fucking day. That sound good enough for you Buffy? The only good I'm doin on this earth at the moment is keeping an eye on your marvelous key, and depleating Spikes supply of pizza pops!" Quickly becoming annoyed with the topic of life she let out a low growl.

Buffy shook her head and paused for a moment, "What did you mean by The worlds Darkest Protector?"

"Nothing important, don't you go worrying your pretty golden head about it girl. You've got bigger things to worry about at the moment, like for example our beloved Angelus, and why he seems to have taken a liking to me."

"You mean you don't know?"

"No ideas, no leads, no nothing golden girl. Best frolic off to your watcher now, go see if his heart is still pumping his precious blood through his aged veins, and then harrass him for information like your doing to me..."

She looked hurt, she was just trying to get whatever Rei knew out in the open so that she might be able to take care of the situation. Without another word she rose from the couch and left the crypt, fleeing back to the Magic box.

Once Rei was sure Buffy had left for good she turned to Rei, "Darla sent him after me."

"Darla? But how would she even know who you are?" He lept down from his seat upon the cold countertop and made his way to the spot where Buffy had just recently vacated. She began unwrapping the long bandages from her arm and tossed them onto her lap, she ran her finger carefully up the long line of stitches holding the deep gash tightly closed, then ran her finger over another scar across her wrist.

"You see this one? I made that when I was about 14. When I had lived on a farm for my younger mortal years of my life. I'd gone on a fury binge and mutilated the animals my so called father had kept. He had screamed at me, and I fled off to the barn, up into the hay storage. Pulled out my dagger that I'd gotten on the streets from a girl that turned out to be my sister...Anyways, I cut almost right to the bone, then watched a few minutes as I bled before trying to wrap up the wound. I found that I didnt have the energy to even tie it up, but to my odd fortune, another had been hiding up in the dark rafters of the barn. She came down, wrapped up my arm and cleaned it all up free of blood. I only had gotten a glimpse of her before I began to pass out, she was gorgious, blonde hair tied up at the back of her head, and beautiful expensive clothing. I remember however what she had said to me as she took me into her arms to cradle me. 'Sleep well child, for when the time comes, my own childe will come to take care of your tender mind and body, and train your soul.'"

Spike looked baffled, "Angelus...So that explains why he hasn't kidnapped you, and has been there to tend to your wounds, and keep you pure...in a sence...But why not tell Buffy? You had the chance to tell her."

"Buffy's got enough on her plate as it is, and if she knew, then Giles would know, and the Council would come to round me up."

"What's the sodding Council got to do with this?"

"Their afraid I'll go all massacure on their ass again. If they knew about this whole fiasco, they wouldn't hesitate to hunt me down and take care of the situation."

"You destroyed them last time, you could just do it again, right?"

"I could, but If they got one clear shot on me with even so much as a simple dart, I'd be dead."

"That whole fight with the Slayer a few minutes ago, wouldnt that be better-" He was cut off.

"Most definatly not! I wont let anyone else take my death into their hands. But theres another thing to add in, 'when one slayer falls another shall rise.' If I die Spike, someone else will just take my place....I'm not the type to take a liking to being replaced."

"The one and only, right?" He had a familiar stance on this sence of pride, his was being the Big Bad.

"Exactly. I'm not sure how I'm going to deal with this though. Buffy wouldn't know either, nor Giles." She sighed exhaustedly as she swirled around the leaking fluids from the stitches on her arm with her finger.

"Well luv, best not tire yourself out with this, you need your rest right now. Will be needing all your energy to deal with this one." He moved over, lifted her up and took her downstairs to the bed to sleep, and rewrapped up her arm.

Buffy stormed back into the Magic shop, flew past the few costumers to find Giles, who was just comming out of the back room with a box for Anya. "Giles! Do you know anything about someone or something called 'The worlds Darkest Protector'?"

Giles walked over to the counter and set the box down while scouring his brain for such knowlage, "Not offhand, why?"

"I found Rei, shes at Spikes crypt, Angelus has been to see her twice, first time he attacked her, second time hes mended her arm. I talked to her about half an hour ago and she had mentioned something in her babbling about dying known as the worlds darkest protector."

"I might have something in a few council or watcher journals that came in last week. I could take a look if you like."

"Yes please, it might have something to do with the whole Angelus thing."

Giles walked into the office where he scanned through a few journals in search of the material, meanwhile Buffy gave Anya a hand in restocking different materials from the inventory downstairs. Nearly 20 minutes later Giles emerged from his office with a book in hand, "Buffy, I found something here that seems a bit disturbing." He sat down at the table where Buffy was seated, and began explaining what he had found.

"The only thing I've found had to do with a slayer from the 1750's. The Slayer's name was Bridgget, but it was an odd case, because she had a twin sister named Cecilia. This was the last case in history that a slayer was ever born with a twin sister."

"Whats so special about that?" She interrupted.

"It was a common thing for the twins to both hold the power of a slayer, except...one would be good and fight against demons and forces of evil, and the other..would fight against her sister and aid the hand of evil."

"But she died right? The slayer killed her sister to stop the demons from florishing."

"Actually Buffy, Cecilia killed Bridgget, the slayer had only been recodnized as a slayer for a few months before she was killed, and quite sadistically too. One would suggest Cecilia had gained her ability of torture from Angelus."

"Ok...so one time that evil wins, what happened next?"

"She went on several travelings that involved the murdering of the innocence, until the council caught up with her and captured her, holding her captive for a period of two years. They tested various mixtures together to strip her of her violent bloodlust, one day she got loose and destroyed the containment building she was kept in, and tore apart everyone she found within the building. Not too much more is know about her. Besides the fact that she had killed her sister and mother, caused a few widespred bloodbaths throughout Europe and Asia."

"What was her full name?"

"Cecilia Anne Doloreius, also known to the council as the 'Darkest protector' or the dark slayer, why?"

"Just wondering how Rei knew of her, and why she would somehow refer to Cecilia to herself."

"She may be holding something back from you Buffy. Did she seem at all irritated with your presence?"

"Totally, she even growled at me Giles, who growls...besides vampires and demons anyways."

"Well unless we can somehow get information from her, I dont see much more we can find out about this."

It was that moment that Dawn decided to walk into the Magic shop and listen in on the conversation, "Get information from who Giles?"

Buffy looked at Dawn and her eyes lit up, "I've got an idea."

Ok second chapter is up for you people, the third chapter should be up sometime this week. Many thanks to the one person that reviewed, my sister, she's helped develope my plotlines and ideas for this story so I do believe some thanks and credit should be sent to her.


	3. Chapter 3

Ok heres Chapter 3, a few more interesting things here are revieled about the Dark Slayer and the reason why she is being seeked by Angelus. Enjoy, dont forget to read and revieweveryone!

* * *

Chapter 3

Making her way over to the Summer's house with her duffle bag at her side, the raven-haired girl wore a long sleeved shirt and a light gray and violet floral skirt that brushed up against her calves as she walked. It was Friday, which meant that the scoobies were cutting patrolling early tonight to enjoy a night together of fun and dancing at the Bronze. Rei usually watched Dawn till about 9:00 before heading over to the Bronze to meet everyone. Yet she had other plans tonight that differed from their usual 'order a pizza and rent 2 movies'. Rei knew of Dawns little klepto habits, and decided to take Dawn to sneak into the Magic box so she could gather the ingredients she needed for her injections. It couldn't be any other night, she felt her good side failing against her power stricken old self. All she knew is that she couldn't let the watcher or slayer find out, if they did she was sure that it would be hell, or she would die and another destroyer would rise up.

Quickly crossing the road she came up to Dawn's house, the house she had used to live in, even if it was just in the basement, it was home to her. She gave a weak smile, being able to call a place home was rare to her. She opened the door and walked inside, leaving her bag beside the stairs she called out through the house for Dawn.

Upstairs in her room Dawn heard the door open and shut, and then the familiar voice call up to her. "I'm up here!" She called back as she thought back to what Buffy had asked her to do earlier. Interrogate Rei about the Dark Slayer. She flicked off her lamp beside her bed and turned off her clock radio that read 6:36. Dawn made her way downstairs, finding Rei in the kitchen at the sink. She caught a glimpse of a bandage on her left arm just before she had pulled down the sleeve of her shirt to cover it. "What happened to your arm?"

"Nothing important," she turned around to face the girl, they were almost the same height. She gave a quick smile, "I was hoping we could sneak into the Magic Box tonight, as opposed to pizza and movies. That ok? I know we wont get caught, I just have to pick up a few things…urgent things really." She held her left arm behind her back in a form of concealment and shifted her weight from foot to foot nervously. Her whole plan counted on Dawn keeping quiet about it.

"Oh sure, no problem. I was hoping we could go out anyways, you know without Buffy knowing. She's been way too overprotective since the whole Glory thing. The others should already have left the store and be out on patrol by now, so if you want we can go now."

Rei nodded and started heading over to her bag for her jacket, "That would be a good idea actually, go get your coat, don't need you getting cold before we party tonight right?" She laughed a bit.

Dawn nodded and ran upstairs to fetch her coat. She enjoyed this time away from the protective hold of Buffy, she felt almost normal with Rei, no demons, no funky curses or apocalypses." She snatched her coat from the foot of her bed and slipped it on as she headed back downstairs to Rei as she waited at the door wearing her trench coat that reminded her a lot of Spike's. "I'm ready." She walked past Rei and headed out the door and began heading to the Magic Box with Rei at her side.

"What stuff do you need"

"Just a few bits of dried plants, monkshood, nightshade, a bunch of others…"

"What's it for, a spell or something?"

"Or something…" Rei paused, mentally letting herself be pulled into telling Dawn about the injections, but not about the whole story like she had told Spike about. "Its for the extracts of the plants, I blend them together for an injection. It sort of…keeps me sane in a sense."

"But the two that you named, their poisons…how could poison make you sane. Are you like some mental patient weighted down with drugs like Tara was when Glory got to her?" Her interest was suddenly intrigued; she made sure she listened to every detail that she was told in case it came in handy later.

She stopped her pace and thought as her expression looked obscure"Not like that...but all thats important is that I get those materials, and I get them tonight." Realising that they had reached the Magic Box she pulled out a spare key she had gotten made a few weeks ago and unlocked the door and sliding inside. "No lights, here, I brought two flashlights, I also wrote up a small list of items for you to gather together for me, ok" She quickly spoke pulling two flashlights and a piece of paper out of her coat pockets. "I have to grab a few things up the ladder, shut off the light and hide if you see anyone comming, alright Kiddo"

Dawn nodded taking the light and paper, but scowled at the pet name"I'm not a kid you know."

Rei turned around as she walked towards the ladder and laughed"Don't feel bad, I even have called Giles kiddo at several occasions."

Dawn giggled at the thought of the old man being called a childish nickname. She quickly went to work as she started seeking out the several ingredients stuffing them into seperat ziploc bags that were on the shelves for such a purpose. She soundlessly worked as Rei muttered away to herself up on the second level. She went though several books quickly before comming across several journals that had been laying open on the floor, she glanced at the pages that were laid open and became shocked. The entries that the books were turned to were all about her and her sister Bridgget. Without a sound she took the books and stuffed them into her hidden inside pockets of her coat before resuming her search on anything else that she might find useful.

Rei picked up a small purple velvet pouch containing two black crystals on seperate strings, a card inside simply read 'Telepathy stones.' She grinned and pulled one out placing it around her neck before heading down the ladder and over to Dawn, presenting the velvet bag and remaining crystal pendant to her. "Happy early Birthday Dawn."

Dawn tilted her head as she took the bag and peered inside"What's this" She asked pulling out the crystal and examining it with her flashlight.

"A telepath stone, I have the other, you simply wear it and whatever you think, I can hear as well. So as a means of communication even in different dimensions." She took the crystal pendant from her and placed it around her neck, smiling as she thought 'Simply stunning. Now we dont have to yell at eachother over the music at the Bronze anymore...aaaaaannnnnnddddd we can hold actual private conversations even during Buffy's boring lectures.'

Dawn looked stunned as she heard the comments in her mind without seeing her friends lips move even once. "O my god! They really work"

Rei laughed"Of course they do silly, but times a wastin, you got the materials" Dawn nodded and stuffed the small bags into her pants pockets. "Well then we should head back home, or we might not have enough time to get ready to go out to the Bronze and give these new babies a test run. Best hide it under your shirt though, Buffy might wonder where you got it from, and Red might know what it is..." She warned as they headed out the door, locking it upon their departure.

"Red? You must really have taken a liking to Spike or something." She joked.

"Naw, me and Spike go back a very long time, even if he didnt quite know it then."

Dawn gave a grin"You stalked Spike? How long ago"

"Years and years ago, and it wasnt only Spike I stalked, it was Dru and Angelus too. Now they were an odd group..." She noticed a slightly confused look on Dawns face.

"Why" She simply asked.

"Well...think of the three of them as a constant sadistic flesh tearing blood spilling threesome"

Dawn was utterly discused"Ew, ok as much as your not treating me like a kid, that was just..ew. I ment about why did you stalk them"

Rei went quite red and silent for a moment"Oh" she said sheepishly"it was just something interesting to do at the time."

* * *

Dawn left the conversation and questioning to that for the rest of the walk home. By the time they got back to the house it was already 7:30, which gave them an hour and a half to have Rei dosed up and the two girls dressed up, then headed over to the club. Wordlessly Rei made her way into the kitchen pulling out a few things, a candle, bowl, and metal measuring cup. Next she took the items up to the bathroom and set them up around the edge of the tub"Dawn, could you get me some rubbing alchohol and a cotton ball please? I have to grab somthing from my bag I'll be right back." As she left Dawn to grab the last few things, she went downstairs to where she left her bag and searched through it for her syringe box. Once she found it she zipped up her bag once again, but before she went back upstairs there was a knock at the door, she sighed and answered the door. "Spike! What are you doing here, thought Buffy needed you patrolling with her, or you would be out hunting." She was quite surprised, she had almost expected Angelus to show up at the door, what with all the sudden show-ups he's been doing lately.

"Was in the neighbourhood, Buffy didnt need me tonight, and I already grabbed a bite to eat so I thought I'd come over and see what you and the lil bit were up to." He stepped in and shut the door behind him.

"We decided to ditch the pizza and movie night and went for a change of scene, Dawns upstairs in the bathroom waiting for me." Before she could finish Spike cut in with an sly smirk on his face.

"What, corrupting Nibblet now"

She rolled her eyes in response and replied sarcastically before continueing on with her explination. "Oh yes Spike I'm getting it on with a 15 year old girl. Guess I like 'em young." She shook her head"No, we gathered some materials for my injections so I dont end up going berserk on you all. I think Angelus knows I'm easier to manipulate when I have no control over my power." She headed upstairs, Spike closely following.

"Where'd you two get the herbs from" He asked as they entered the bathroom, watching as Rei knelt down to the side of the tub and began tearing up the bits of herbs and poisons into the bowl.

Dawn lent a hand tearing up the herbs, but left the poisonous ones to her friend, she cheerfully piped up"The Magic Box, where else"

"Dawn" Rei exclaimed as she shook her head and added in the rubbing alchohol to the torn up herbs, stiring the combination she poured some of it into the measuring cup, she looked at the unlit candle and gave a slightly fustraited sigh.

"Need a light?" Spike asked as he lent forward with his arm extented to light the wick with his lighter, then pulled himself back leaning against the counter"So Bit, looks like your Klepto habits are rubbing off." He smiled a bit, not minding at all about their little shopping spree about the shop. He turned and headed downstairs to get himself something from the fridge. On his way down the stairs he saw a few books poking out the top of Rei's black sidebag. "Watcher journals? What would the girl want with these..." He snatched them from their spot and opened them to the most recently read page with the bookmark in it. Spike read through the pages as he made his way into the kitchen and took a seat at the island. He continued to read up on the Watchers side of Rei's past.

Upstairs Dawn held the metal cup over the flame as the extract from the various herbs mingled with one another in their mixture of alchohol. Meanwhile Rei pulled out a syringe and filled the needle with the fluid from the cup, using the cotton ball as a filter from all the bits of plants and such. She filled about 5 syringes with the fluid before blowing out the flame and nodding to Dawn that it was done. They cleaned up and headed back downstairs, Rei took her injections down with her, putting 4 of the 5 into her bag and bringing the extra with her as she followed Dawn into the kitchen. Dawn grabbed herself a cup of juice from the fridge as she leaned over the counter to see what Spike is reading"Whats that" She asked taking a sip of her drink. Rei's eyes wandered over to the material Spike was reading and she froze in place as she relized what it was.

"Mind telling me why you have these Watcher journals pet" Spike asked without looking up. Dawn watched on interested in what was about to happen, since she already knew most of the material that was within those journals.

"To keep the others out of my mess maybe Spike? I dont need Buffy, Giles, and Will all in on this. I told you earlier, it might end up with the Council at my throat" She growled and snatched the journals from Spike and sat at the other end of the island and prepped her arm for the injection.

"What about Dawn here Rei, she's tied in with all of them, and yet your letting her in on it all." He jestured over towards Dawn.

"She doesnt know everything..." She muttered as she bit her lip as the needle went in. She hid her arm from view, mainly for Dawn's sake.

"Actually Rei...I know more then you think. So do the others, they've already been through the journals. Buffy sorta asked me to question you for information. About if you know anything about this Cecilia Ann Doloreius. But when I found out a little bit more about what was going on tonight, I dont think I'll tell Buffy about it, especially about the whole Magic Box visit too." She paused, a sheepish look on her face, she asked something else. "So do you know anything about Cecilia"

Rei sighed as she heard Dawn banter on and on about Buffy's little scheme, she removed the needle from her arm and set it on the counter and took a deep breath letting the small shock of the injection subside before she answered Dawn's question. "Well, since you've decided on saving your ass as well as mine and not mentioning anything to Buffy. Yes, in fact I know every tiny detail of Cecilia's life...for it is my own."

Dawn's jaw nearly dropped, and Spike scowled lightly. They had both read about little things that had happened in the past, and the culprite of it all was sitting right before them both slightly ashamed as well. "Wow...so like, why did you change your name to Rei? Cecilia is so cool of a name. How did you get Rei anyways" Dawn's curiosity quickly overcame her initial shock.

"Everyone knew me as Cecilia, once I began the injections I needed to hide for a few years so everyone would settle thinking I had died, I needed a new name too, Rei was just taken from part of my last name." She quickly explained as she deposited the needle into the garbage can beside the fridge. "So now you know, the dark slayer who has killed about the same amount of people as the famous Angelus, stands right before you. The fear enducing sadistic tormenter has been reduced to injecting herself with various poisons to keep her destructive self tamed in a cage." Her voice seemed almost lowely as if her entire life's worth of pride, destruction, and torture had been crumpled up, spat upon, and served on a silver platter before the entire world, for them to watch as she had to swallow it.

Dawn and Spike seemed taken back by her short rant. Spike cleared his throat before glancing at the clock and speaking up"Well then...Bit, you might as well go get changed if you are going to the Bronze in half an hour." Dawn nodded and headed upstairs to her room to change. Spike turned back to Rei once she was gone"Sounds like your missing the old days Cecilia." He moved his chair over closer to her for comfort which he believed was needed right now.

She sighed and gave a slight nod "Everything was so less confusing then, I'd find myself a city and I'd let loose. Now all I'm doing now is hiding my past and identity and trying to live outside of everyone knowlage. All those years of hiding and being good, finally seems to be turning around and kicking me swiftly in the ass." She wiped a tear that was building up at the corner of her eye. "Thing's would have been alot easier if I was like all the other dark slayers and died by the hand of my sister, instead of it being the other way around." She thought back to her memories of her sister, the last one she had of her sister had been the most sadistic, 'Angelus must have been proud of that one...' She thought. A response came back via the crystal, 'What one?' Rei shook her head and thought back, 'My families death...not a very pretty sight, trust me. Dont go diving into my memories about that one.' She warned the brunette.

"Everything always is easier when life has no concequences. Or any means to stop you by." He gently brought a hand up to the side of her head and brushed a few locks of hair out of her face and away from her teary eyes. "But you cant let yourself be brought down by all this Cecilia. Tonight your going to have fun with me and the lil bit. Dancing, drinking, forgetting all about everything thats happened. Now you better go get dressed, I know you women take a long time getting yourselves dressed." He mocked with a smile and patted her on the shoulder.

Rei nodded and pulled herself to her feet"I'll try to be fast." She simply replied as she headed out the room, she stopped at the doorway and wordlessly came back to Spike and gave him a hug and a peck on the cheek. "You always knew how to cheer me up." She then left the room and headed to her duffle bag.

Rei quickly shuffled a few items over to the side before smiling and pulling out a few items, her bathroom kit, a dress, shoes, and a few hair clips. She took these and ran upstairs to change in the bathroom. As she changed Dawn started up conversation with her once again.

'You like him dont you?'

'What? No, he's just a good listener, sort of like how a brother or good friend would be. You like him though.'

'No! How'd you know? Grr...ok caught me, but this stays between us, right?'

'Haha, of course Kiddo'

'Cecilia!'

'Ah but that name doesnt bother me the way Kiddo bothers you!'

'...fine...um...I cant think of anything, you win that round.'

'Naturally...You almost done over there?'

'Yea, almost. Just need to grab a pair of Buffy's shoes and I'm ready'

'Ok, meet you downstairs.'

'Roger!'

Rei looked at herself in the mirror, she had put half her hair up into a braid hanging down her back, the remaining free hair she had taken the heated curler to, leaving glossy black ringlets running down her back and over her shoulders. The dress was a dark green medevil style dress, the hem ran down to the bottems of her calves and with silver and olive embroidery and lace around the bust and abdomen. The shoes were a match with the outfit, they had a slight heel on them and the laces were the type to tie up and around your calves. She had taken off the bandage that was still on her arm and decided to leave it off, and to let the stitches breath for the night, no matter who gave her odd and dirty looks for it. Her makeup was complete with black eyeliner, a light olive and creme eyeshadow, and a dark maroon red lipstick. The entire outfit she had aquired at least 120 years ago in England, she was lucky to have kept it this long, but then again it was one of her favorite outfits. She smiled, satisfyed with her look and came out of the bathroom and made her way downstairs.

Dawn was waiting at the bottem of the stairs, her outfit had decided to be shiny black pants, a red frilly top with split sleves at the elbow that trailed down from her arms, and simple makeup of blush, red lipstick and light eyeliner. She was quietly conversing with Spike about the journals before she noticed Rei comming down the stairs. "Oh my god! You look so pretty" Her eyes went wide and she jumped up and down a few times, she had never really seen the black haired girl in much anything else other then her usual style of long skirts or baggy pants, and regular everyday t-shirts.

Spike glanced up and his jaw nearly dropped, with the dark makeup, long black ringlets and medevil dress he would almost pass her off as his Sire. "Bloody Hell! I think I now know the reason why you women take so long deciding what to wear. God you look so much like Drusilla, pet."

Rei came down to the bottem with a smile"Thanks Dawn...Spike, I'm not sure whether or not to take that as a complement, considering Dru was crazy yet absolutely gorgeous, I'll take it as a complement." She glanced over at Dawns apparel and tapped her chin"Simple, but good. You need a jacket though."

Dawn nodded and turned around to the coat rack to grab her coat and paused seeing Rei's trenchcoat there, before even being able to open her mouth to ask she heard Rei's voice in her head, 'Why not, it'll look good on you, and plus, if you cant be with him, might as well dress like him!' Rei laughed outloud as she saw Dawn's expression redden a few shades as she slipped on the trenchcoat. "Your lucky he didnt hear that comment girl"

He became confused, the sudden laughter and such, but let it go, probably something the girls had talked about earlier. Rei replied with a grin"What, the all powerful Key going to kick some Dark Slayer ass" She tossed an arm around Dawn's shoulders and opened the door"Let's go." Spike followed behind the girls, quietly still trying to figure out what was going on from inside.

* * *

Inside the Bronze the scoobies had just gotten back from fighting the latest big bad in town, some demon that was after Willow for her enormous power. Tara for once ended up saving the day, gathering up her power and sending the demon back to its original dimension. Once the battle was over they headed over to the Bronze for a 'let loose' conclusion to the night. Buffy kept an eye out for Dawn and Rei, who were supposed to be showing up pretty soon. Xander turned to Buffy and curious about her plan of finding stuff out about the dark slayer asked"Do you think Dawn found anything out" Almost as if on que the trio walked up, Dawn basically skipped towards the group, Rei slowed down so that she became the back of the group letting Spike walk ahead infront of her.

"Dawn, good you guys are here! I have to talk to you." Buffy stated, meaning about the interrogation plan from earlier.

"There's nothing to tell" Dawn lied straight to her sisters face"We're gunna go dance though, ok" Buffy simply sighed and nodded before seeing Dawn wander off into the crowd.

Once Dawn vanished into the crowd soon being followed by what Buffy's protective side thought was Drusilla. She glared and took a step towards the dark haired medevil girl"Why is Dru back" She asked as Spike held his arm out to stop Buffy from following. She looked up to him quizzically.

"It's not her luv. It's Rei." Buffy looked flabberghasted as Spike added"I nearly made the same mistake watching her come down the stairs before we left." He smirked.

Back over with Dawn and Rei they were swaying back and forth with the music, various songs that the both of them knew were playing. As one song ended another began, Rei paused her dancing and her eyes lit up"I love this song, might not be the regular stuff I listen to, but good nonetheless" Dawn smiled in response and began picking up the slower beat to the song.

**The way you're bathed in light  
Reminds me of that night  
God let me down into your rose garden of trust  
And I was swept away  
With nothin' left to say  
Some helpless fool  
Yeah I was lost in a swoon of peace  
You're all I need to find  
So when the time is right  
Come to me sweetly, come to me  
Come to me  
**

Dawn looks up and around the surrounding crowd as they dance to the soft music, Rei's voice singing along to the lyrics. Her eyes stop as they land upon a familiar sight. Angelus as he made his way though the crowd, heading towards them both. She turns back around to face Rei acting normal as she spoke to her though thoughts.

'He's here Cecilia...Angelus is comming this way...'

Rei quickly glanced over to where Dawn had seen Angelus then looked back to Dawn, she continued singing to the music playing but quickly told Dawn a set of instructions to follow to keep her safe in case something went out of expectancy.

'Go find Spike, take him away from the others, he can keep you safe and get you out of here if something big happens, ok?' She saw a nod from Dawn, so she continued, 'I will leave my mind open to you, so you can hear everything that is said between me and Angelus...you should let Spike hear it too...'

'how can I do that?'

'You just have to be holding his hand at the time, that will establish the mental link to me...now go before he gets too close!'

With that last thought she watched as Dawn turned around and quickly went to Spike through the crowd, once she could no longer see Dawn she sighed and closed her eyes letting herself get lost in the music and opening her mind up.

**  
Love will lead us, alright  
Love will lead us, she will lead us  
Can you hear the dolphin's cry?  
See the road rise up to meet us  
It's in the air we breathe tonight  
Love will lead us, she will lead us **

Oh yeah, we meet again  
It's like we never left  
Time in between was just a dream  
Did we leave this place?  
This crazy fog surrounds me  
You wrap your legs around me  
All I can do to try and breathe  
Let me breathe so that I  
So we can get together!

The music enveloped her as she swayed her body to the soft music. She was so lost within the music that she gasped in shock when a pair of arms entwined their way around her waist, holding her tight to their owner. "Angelus.." Rei said in an exhale of breath. He smiled faintly as she spoke his name, he lowered his face to her neck and kissed the skin below her ear. The coldness of his lips ran a shiver down her spine and forced her to straighten her back up against him.

"So much like Dru, you know that" He turned her around to face him, the look on his face was purely of posession as he held her tight. "This used to be Dru's dress you know, she left it for you that night." Angelus leaned forward and kissed her forehead.

"Why do you want me." She changed the subject getting to more important matters. She didnt like the games Angelus was trying to play with her, but then again, with the power she felt raidiating off of Angelus she slowly felt herself submissing to his games.

"Why else, your the Dark Slayer, you have immense power and you know it. Face it, evil needs its queen back." It was true, Buffy had the key and other forces of good trying to destroy all essence of evil. He had been able to save up his strength to overcome the soul that controlled the demon, every now and then the demon would fade back as the soul faught for its control.

**  
Love will lead us, alright  
Love will lead us, she will lead us  
Can you hear the dolphin's cry?  
See the road rise up to meet us  
It's in the air we breathe tonight  
Love will lead us, she will lead us **

Life is like a shooting star  
It don't matter who you are  
If you only run for cover, it's just a waste of time  
We are lost 'til we are found  
This phoenix rises up from the ground  
And all these wars are over

Over  
Over  
Singin' la da da, da da da  
Over  
Come to me, come to me  
Singin' la da da da, da da da  
Come to me

"What makes you think I want to go back Angelus..."

"I felt the lust waiting to be let out when I bit you"

She went silent, she knew he was right, that if it wasnt for the drug holding her back she would be off tearing apart people, families, and entire cities. Just the simple thought of what she had done for entertainment in her past brought a faint smile to her face. Angelus smiled at this, he was getting her to understand, that she was not only just the Dark Slayer, but that she was also a being of destruction, and that she belonged to him.

**Love will lead us, alright  
Love will lead us, she will lead us  
Can you hear the dolphin's cry?  
See the road rise up to meet us  
It's in the air we breathe tonight  
Love will lead us, she will lead us **

Life is like a shooting star  
It don't matter who you are  
If you only run for cover, it's just a waste of time  
We are lost 'til we are found  
This phoenix rises up from the ground  
And all these wars are over  
over, over, over.

**Love will lead us, alright  
Love will lead us, she will lead us  
Can you hear the dolphin's cry?  
See the road rise up to meet us  
It's in the air we breathe tonight  
Love will lead us, she will lead us**

Once the song was over Angelus used the transition time between songs to take Rei through the crowd and took her outside into the alley, he cornered her against the wall and continued breaking through the barrier enduced by the injections she was taking. "Remember when you killed your family, remember how they howled in pain and anguish" At the mention of the memory Rei was forced to remember the entire scene.

* * *

Her mother laid near death on the livingroom floor, blood pooled around the woman from shallow cuts and painful torture. Her fingernails had been ripped out and laid neatly in a pile to the side, a small pairing knife stuck out from her spine just below the neck, paralizing her from that point down. Cecilia sat in the pool of blood, she was about 16 at the time, yet dressed in a white lace dress stained with blood, she had a sadistic smile peering from her lips. She called out to her sister"Bridgget, Come to me dearest sister." Her voice sounded so innocent as it rang through the house summoning her twin. She watched the stairs as her sister came down them, and collapsed on the spot at the sight of her mutilated mother dying in a pool of her own blood.

"What did you do" Bridgget screamed out at her sister in sorrow.

"Mummy didn't want to play with the dollies, she had to be taught to be nice." Cecilia said in a singsong voice. Bridgget couldnt say any more as she cried in agony as she forced herself to crawl to her fallen mother. "Bridgget, would you care for a cup of tea" she offered as she pulled herself from the floor and made her way over to the table where the hot tea and pastries sat waiting.

"How could you think of Tea, at a time like this? Cecilia you monster! She's our Mother"

Cecilia frowned and turned back to her sister"She needed a lesson, I'm beginning to think you need a lesson as well. Or we could play. Yes a game, we shall play a game" With the sudden idea she forgot about her sisters rude outburst, she picked up a butter knife from the table and went back over to her sisters keeled over trembling crying form. She knelt behind her with a hand on Bridggets shoulder"Shhhh don't fret now, come play with me." She took the knife and lightly dragged it across her sisters side, when she got no response from her sister she plunged the knife deep within her sisters side. "It's rude to ignore someone Bridgget" She withdrew the knife from her sisters side, and asked again. "Please come play with me Bridgget." Bridgget recoiled in pain and horror, what had happened to her sister, she was never this cruel, she was never cruel at all. She used all her fear and forced herself to crawl away as fast as she could from her sister while holding a hand tightly against the flowing wound in her side.

* * *

Inside the Bronze in a less occupied area Dawn and Spike were listening in on what was happening between Rei and Angelus. After watching the flashback Rei had rememberd from her past Dawn was nearly in tears, Spike comforted Dawn as he was severely shocked himself. He knew that even Angelus didnt take such care in torturing his victems like that.

* * *

Poof you now have the third chaper, sorry if the memory was a bit graphic, but it was needed to get the point across...and it could have been a hell of alot worse. 


End file.
